Marie Curie Cancer Care is appealing for people across Coventry and Warwickshire to donate an hour of their time this March to collect for the charity's annual Great Daffodil Appeal.

The appeal is Marie Curie's biggest fundraiser. Millions of pounds are raised each year to support our services. By helping to encourage everyone in your community to give a donation and wear a daffodil pin in March, you will be helping to contribute to this. Each hour you donate could help to provide 1-2 hours of nursing care to a terminally ill person in your community.

To achieve this, the charity needs volunteer collectors to encourage people in the local community to wear a daffodil pin and give a donation. The money raised will help Marie Curie Nurses to provide more free care to local people with terminal illnesses in their own homes.

Cherida Plumb, Community Fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care in Coventry and Warwickshire, said: "We need around 400 people from across Coventry and Warwickshire to help with our collections this March. We have 80 collections happening across the county from; Alcester, Atherstone, Coleshill and Coventry; to Stratford, Southam, and Warwick; and everywhere in between. Collections are happening from 21 Feb to 5 April, there will be one near you, so please don't hesitate to sign up. Donating just one or two hours of your time to the appeal will allow Marie Curie Nurses to provide more free care to terminally ill people and their families at the time when they most need support."

Peter from Kenilworth said: "I collected for the Great Daffodil Appeal for the first time last year and really felt like I was making a difference. Despite feeling apprehensive initially, I soon realised what an enjoyable and rewarding experience it was. So many people approach you to tell you about the support they've received from Marie Curie Nurses and the difference it made. We were pleased when we counted up all the coins (and notes!) and realised how much we'd raised. It's great to know you're helping other people at the most difficult time for them and their family."

As well as local volunteer collectors, Marie Curie will be supported by the Lions Clubs of the British Isles and Ireland in March, with hundreds of collections being held by Lions Club members across the country on behalf of the charity.

To volunteer to collect for Marie Curie Cancer Care and support the Great Daffodil Appeal please call Cherida on 01604 442 312, contact our central support team on 0845 601 3107, or visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil.

Marie Curie is the leading charity providing care to people with any terminal illness in their own homes or in one of its nine hospices. The charity is also a leader in research into the best ways of caring for people with a terminal illness. In addition to this the charity designs and advises on end of life services and works to ensure that the best possible care and patient choice is at the heart of commissioning end of life care across the UK. All Marie Curie services are completely free of charge. Around 70% of the charity's income comes from donations with the balance of funds coming from the NHS.